Chill the F out (a holiday lesson)

This week in my singing class, I ran into resistance around a high note… again.

It’s like my vocal cords completely tighten up and won’t let the sound out with ease.

I even noticed something new:

I subtly change the pitch to reach it another way… a workaround I’ve been using for years without realizing it.

What I love about my teacher is that she names the truth every time:

That I’m scared, and fear is holding me back.

It’s not always easy to hear, but I love her for pointing it out.

Even knowing this, the note still felt unreachable.

Which made me wonder… maybe the anxiety around trying to get there is the very thing in the way.

I over-tried the whole class…

Finally when we finished, I relaxed and told myself it wasn’t important to reach the note…

But I also wasn’t giving up.

I just needed permission to practice and play.

So I started singing in the car. Badly. On purpose 😄

And just like that, the pressure lifted.

As I moved through sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni-sa (the Sanskrit version of do-re-mi…), I realized I was reaching higher notes with ease.

The Lesson:

​Chill the F out.

Relaxation really is the key to (almost) everything.

With all the holiday hustle around us, consider this your reminder to pause, even if just for a moment.

Let your shoulders drop.

Let your belly soften.

Take a deep belly breath in…

And exhale slowly, making a gentle sound from your throat.

(My singing teacher swears it’s the ultimate relaxation for the throat 😉)

Wishing you an easeful and joyful holiday week❄️🌟

❤️,

Dr. Aliya

🥠: Sometimes the note 🎵 arrives not when we reach for it, but when we finally relax enough to let it come.